Current Status: Canceled
Representational Image : (NS E, 2024)
Dighipara 1000 MW Coal Power Plant, also known as Dighipara USC Power Plant, is a cancelled Ultra-supercritical (USC) thermal power plant was to be situated in Dighipara under Parbatipur Upazila in Dinajpur District of Bangladesh (Location: 25.4166, 89.0833) approx. It was proposed by North-West Power Generation Company Limited (NWPGCL), a State-owned Enterprise (SOE) under the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), to install and operate as a Public Power Plant (PPP) for 25 years. As per the plan, the power plant was to start commercial operation in June 2023. However, no progress was seen by December 2020 when the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) declared not to build any more coal power plants in the country. NWPGCL also removed the information on the power plant from their website.
Capacity
The expected installed (gross) and derated (net) capacity of the power plant was 1000 MW.
Context
In 1995, a coal deposit covering 24 square kilometres was identified by the Geological Survey of Bangladesh in Dinajpur, estimating a potential reserve of 865 million tonnes of coal. Subsequently, in 2015, the government leased the Dighipara deposit to the Barapukuria mining company for its development. By September 2016, the mining company had received proposals for conducting a feasibility study of the mine, and by May 2017, these proposals were mutually agreed upon for implementation (GEM, 2023).
According to the initial schedule, the power plant was supposed to commence commercial operations by June 2023 (NWPGCL, 2022). However, by December 2020, there had been no observable advancement in the project. Consequently, the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) announced its decision to halt the construction of any additional coal power plants within the country. Subsequently, NWPGCL (North-West Power Generation Company Limited) eliminated all information related to the power plant from its website.
Land Acquisition
The Land coverage area could not be found as the power plant wasn't implemented.
Finance
North-West Power Generation Company Limited (NWPGCL).
Sponsor
This power plant was supposed to sponsored by North-West Power Generation Company Limited (NWPGCL).
Contractor
Information has not been found about the contractor of the power plant.
Fuel Supply
Coal was proposed to be used as a fuel to generate electricity from Barapukuria.
Power Generation
The expected generation capacity for this power plant was 1000 MW.
Environment
According to Section 12 of the Bangladesh Environment Protection Act 1995, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is obligatory for any industry (MOLJPA 1995). Polluting industries, such as power plants, must undergo an Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) and EIA as directed in the Environmental Conservation Rules 2017 (MOEFCC 1997). This canceled power plant was expected to be a coal power plant. The Carbon emission could be very high as a lot of carbon was needed to generate electricity for this power plant.It could pollute the surrounding environment and could also impact on human health. According to the environmental conservation rule 2023 the project falls in the “Red” indicating it as a potential harmful project for the environment (MOEFCC 2023).
References
GEM 2023. Dighipara power station. Global Energy Monitor. 2023.
NWPGCL 2016. Annual Report 2015-16. North West Power Generation Company Limited. 2016
MOEFCC (1997). ‘The Environmental Conservation Rules. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC)’: 27 August 1997
MOEFCC (2023). “The Environmental Conservation Rules”. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC): 5 March 2023
MOLJPA (1995). ‘Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act 1995’. Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (MOLJPA): 16 February 1995